- past participle of withdraw.
verb
adjective
-
unusually reserved, introverted, or shy
-
secluded or remote
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of withdrawn
First recorded in 1610–20, for the adjective
Explanation
Quiet loners are withdrawn — that's a word for people who keep to themselves to such an extent that it seems a little unhealthy. We can all be withdrawn sometimes, especially when we're sad or depressed about something. Some people get withdrawn when they're angry. A withdrawn person can be hard to find, and even if they're around, hard to talk to — withdrawn people don't like to talk, or they try to talk as little as possible. A person who is withdrawn from the rest of the world for a long period of time is a recluse — an extremely solitary, withdrawn person.
Vocabulary lists containing withdrawn
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The book was shrouded in suspicion and withdrawn from the shortlist for France's top book prize, the Goncourt, after tests with AI detector Pangram indicated a 100-percent probability it contained computer-generated text.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
Living Rent's analysis shows 465 of the licensed full property STLs have withdrawn a planning application once, with 110 having withdrawn more than one application.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
And if they are withdrawn for unreimbursed, qualified medical expenses, they are also tax-free.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
According to online court records, two of the three cases were settled and one was withdrawn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
“Here, ma’am. Oh, let me do something!” cried the boy, hurrying from the next room whither he had withdrawn, feeling that their first sorrow was too sacred for even his friendly eyes to see.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
